Low Iron levels. Can anyone help?

[PineappleSnoz]

For as long as I can remember I have always had low iron levels. It seems impossible to get them up. I am only able to take low level supplements of Iron due to another problem I have in my gut (I need to avoid getting constipated and the Iron my dr has prescribed me in the past has caused really bad constipation. )
I've been taking an over the counter supplement but my results came back today and my levels are lower again despite taking iron every day. The iron stores are at 9.

I feel like crap, I am always tired, have no motivation to do anything because I just have to sleep for hours afterwards. I feel sorry for my older kids because I am tired all the time and moody. I just want to feel normal.
Has anyone else been in a similar situation and found a solution?

thanks, @Notavegan

I am really struggling today and feel really down. I am working from home thank god otherwise I think I would need to reduce my hours. by 4pm I am totally shattered and start falling asleep even though I am just doing a desk based job. Today I slept from 4.30 until 8 pm. I am still exhausted and want to go back to sleep but need to do stuff around the house and the kids (teenagers) needed feeding.
Just feel like I have no quality of life what so ever at the moment. I am worried about making mistakes at work as a chunk of what I do is finance based and requires a lot of concentration and last night I got so cold I was violently shaking and despite multiple layers of clothing and blankets could only warm myself up with a hot water bottle. I feel completely miserable
I have no interest in food either, no energy to cook. Unless its placed infront of me I don't want to eat. I am trying really hard to eat things that will nourish my body, help with my Iron and feed the baby but it all feels pointless.

Spatone has been a massive help to me after many years of problems with iron levels.
Much better on stomach.
My dr actually said it wasn't strong enough to help but it made a real difference to my levels. I'm not sure about it in pregnancy though so do check that. I think it's ok but I only discovered it after my DC's born so not sure.

@nobucketlist I have ordered some spatone, how long did it tke before you noticed a difference?

I think possibly a month or so. Good luck !

Actually thinking about it - may have been quicker than that. I was really struggling to stand fit any length of time at one point and walking up stairs was really difficult - and then I gradually realised that these weren't a problem

@PineappleSnoz I had this problem during pregnancy it was worse due to undiagnosed coeliac disease (antibody tests always negative, diagnosed eventually with biopsies and genetic test) I was given an iron infusion in pregnancy and then a few years later two more after diagnosis. Insist that you can't take the iron tablets and get your GP to arrange an infusion, you'll feel so much better afterwards.

That looks like good advice from @MissSmiley
You are obviously being very significantly affected and you may need more significant intervention to help you feel better. You shouldn't have to feel as run down as that

Can you take laxatives? When I was prescribed iron supplements the doctor said to take those too to counteract constipation. That's the first time any doctor has advised that though and I've been on and off them all my life. As said above they should be able to do an iv iron infusion for you if you really can't take tablets. I had one in pregnancy as they had forgotten to check my iron and hb had dropped to 6 (I felt awful and was having cardiac investigations because of heart palpitations).